Signaling device for automobiles and other vehicles.



F. C. PFEIL. SIGNAUNG DEVICE FOH AUTOMOBILES AND OTHERVEHICLES. APPLICATION min Nov. 15. |916.

1,274,769. PatentedAug. 6, 1918.

UN' ITI' ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. PFEIL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that, l, FREDERICK C. Prim., a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devices for Automobiles and other Vehicles, of which the following is a` specification.

This invention refers to improvements in automobile signaling devices for signaling or indicating thc direction which a chauifeur or other occupant in control of the automobile intends to take, thus notifying vehicles following, and vehicles` as well as persons ahead, whether the-automobile is to travel in a straight course or turn to the right or left. By the use of such device a timely warning is given to those likely to interfere with the travel of the automobile and thus accidents be avoided. This is par tcularly desirable at turns or bends in Streets or highways and al intersections of streets, and when operatingthedevice a distance from the point at which the change in directidn of the automobile iS to be made, it will not be necessary to reduce the speed as a matter of safety, since the device will protect the automobile against injury from other vehicles, the occupants of which have been given a timely Warning of the intention of the chauffeur or other occupant in control of the automobile.

In accordance with my invention the signal is placed so that it is easily seen from the frolt as well as the rear and may be conveniently operated from the position which the person in charge of the car occupies, and it is moreover detachable so that it, may be placed at any other point of the oscillating movement and in which a carrier automobilento be operated by another party who may accompany the chauffeur or person operating the automobile.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a signaling device having an indicating arm normally positioned vertically to indicate tliiat the automobile is to continue in a straight course, and which arm is adapted to be swung either to the right or left from the normal vertical positign thereof .to indicate 'a change in tiie courseofthe automobile and the direction in which the automoble is to be driven.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a si aling device having a signaling arm pivotally 'amounted .in` a.-

bracket detachably secured t0 the. wind.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application led November 15, 1916. Serial No. 131,408.

shield or some other part of the automobile and extending outwardly from the point of attachment a sufficient distance to bring said signaling arm into view from any point at the rear in which another vehicle may be traveling, the occupants of which should know the intended course which the automobile is to take, and to provide simple means for manipulating said arm.

A further object is to provide a signaling device of this kind having a suitable supporting-member, a signaling arm mounted in said supporting-member to oscillate, a rigid manipulating-member connected axially to the hub of Said arm by a flexible member bent so that the manipulating member may be directed inwardly toward the operator.

Further objects are to provide a simple, inexi'iensive and durable device of this kind having few parts and being provided with means whereby the manipulating member may be adjusted to bring the same to the most convenient position for operation, and to otherwise improve on Signaling devices of this kind now in use. l

To these ends the invention consists in a movable signaling arm which has its axis at a right angle to the length of the arm and parallel or substantially parallel with the length of the automobile, in securing a flexible connector member axially to said arm, and in providing a manipulating inem ber arranged obliquely to a plane passing longitudinally through the axis of said arm and having connection with said connector member. i

It further consists in providing a Support in which a signaling arm is journaled for member is secured which has a supporting part of extendedarea, a manipulating member receivin support from said supporting part and a Justable to permit it to assume different positions on said supporting part, and a iexiblc connection in the form of a yvire cable or the like comprising numerous strands of wire and connecting said signaling( arm with said manipulating member.

tfurther consists in the novel arrange ment of parts,.n the novel construction of parts, and in the combination of elements to be hereinafter set pointed out in the subjoined claims;

In the drawings,- Figure 1 is'a perspective ViewK oa por forth and particularly f tion of, an automobile having my improved aignalin end of t .e wind-shield.

' Fig. 2 is a rear View of the device ap lied4 to the wind-shield, a

portion only o the wind-shield andthe adjacent cowl or dash being shown. n

Fig. 3 is a plamview of the 4signaling device, with the wind-shield to which 1t is r taken on -line 1 -4,

attached shown in horizontal section. and a portion of the cowl orrdash in plan view.

VFig. 4 isanenlaged horizontal section ig. 2. 'p Fig. 5` `-`is a cross section 5 5, Fig. 3 i

The signaling. device be attached in taken on line ,l Y any osition omen, automo ile in which it .may e Seen rom"'proper-points in rear and right hand end of the wind-shield so that in either case Ythe party operating the Avehicle will have convenient access to the device forgiving the proper signals'.

The preferred embpdiment of my invention comprises broadly considered, a support 6, a signal-in member 7, a mauiprlif.H

" ing member 8, an aconnector member 9 by structed of an bore 14 internally't therein. In each of -these Q1 ni Jnedsthe lamp means 'of which the manipulating member is operatively connected Vwith the signaling member.

A,The support 6 is in the form of an elongated arm or bracket which may be conmetal or alloy, preferably aluminum, an having at its inner end a U-shaped or forked portion 10 adapted to' embrace .the vertical bar 11 of the windshield frame, a set screw 12 bein threaded throu h one of the sides of sai U-shaped or for ed portion to impinge tightly agalnst said vertical bar and secure said supporting arm or bracket detachably but finmly in position. The outer portion of said su portmg arm or bracket is oli'set, preferably curved upwardly, as shown, and at its outer end it has a boss 13 lprovided with a central readed at onel end, as at 15, 4the other end of sa'd bore being left smooth to act as a joiirna for a stub shaft or'stud 16 arran ed at the lqwer or inner end of the signa ingmember 7, said stub shaftoretud being arranged at a right angle to th body ortion Aof said signaling member, which 'atter v.may be formed of any suitable material, butpreferably material of ligit'weight. a

. he signa'lin member 7 the form of 4an arrow and as spacedlopenings 17, 1B f a small incandescent lamp I9 is po i device attached to'the left hand portion ofl thein one of said openings being of a diiferent color than the other, and suitable electric current-conducting means (not shown) are vided. forconductin the current to these is; s, it being within t e skill of any practica electrician to attach the current-conducting V'means to this device. By having 21 is threaded Said carrier 'member is in` the form of a castin of aluminumI or other suitable material am? has a boss 22 which is threaded to receive the rear threaded end of said ni. ple and two flat rearwardly 'and inward y directed members 23 'which are spaced apart and connected along two of tlw "1r marginal portions by an edge wall 24, thus forming a 'deep channel open at the front and inner edges of the carrier member and having the outer and rear edges closed ,by said edgewall. The fiat members 23 are comparatively wide to provide large surfaces or areas, and between theSe members is arranged one end of the manipulat ing member 8. This manipulating member is connected to the flexible connector member 9, as` at 25, said llexible connector member being a short length of wire cable formed of strands of small wires assembled iiiithusual manner. This cable extends outwardly and thence forwardly and passes with its forwardly extendin ortion through the nipple 20, through ne ore 14 and into the stub shaft or stud and the hub of the signalin member 7, it. being pinneglor otherwise astened to said member, best shown in Fig. 4. As .clearly shown in said figure, this length of wire cable is bent between the rear end ofthe nipple 20 and the adjacent 'end of the manipu` lating member 8 and is'vfrotatable so as to cause the signaling arm securedthereto to arm or bracket is Somewhat at an acute angle to the axis of the signal: ing member, and since by rotating said manipulating member the signaling member is caused to oscillate, the connector member 9 may also be termed a direction-changing member, As a simple and inexpensive means of construction, the manipulating member com rises a short len th of pipe 26 into one en `of which the ea le servin as the Aconnecting member is pinned or ot erwise secured, the opposite end of said pipe 26 being threaded and projecting beyond the inner open end of the carrier member 21. A reducer 27 is threaded onto said projeeting end and a rod 28 threaded into the reducer, said rod being continued inwardly to a point in close proximity to the steering wheel 29 of the steering mechanism of the automobile so that the operator may con venientl manipulate the device for indicating t e direction of travel without intern fering with the steering of the automobile.

The-inner end of the rod is preferably provided with a knob 30, or other suitable handle, so that the rod may be conveniently turned. That end of the manipulating meinber arranged within the supporting member I will, for convenience, terni the outer end thereof, and thisend is positioned between the two flat members 23 while the upper fiat member serves as a retainer member and prevents upward deleetion thereof, which would otherwise be possible due to the cable serving as the connector member being able to bend in any direction. The manipulating member is therefore confined to a slight rotary movement and movement forwardly and backwardly between the two flat mem bers 23, and it may be positioned and retained at different angles between the two Hat members 23 so as tobring the inner 'or handle end thereof into the desired position for the operator; th`s being aceomplished by a set screw 31` t readed throu h theA edge wall L44 and bear'ng against t e short length of pipe at the, ut, end of the manipulatin member. For fthis purpose the flat mem ers 23 are made comparatively wide so that in eases where the point of attaehinent of the device to the car is farther in rear than that shown in the drawings, it may be desirable to have the manipulating member assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, or some position between that shown in solid lines and that shown in dotted lines, therefore the extended area provided by the lower {'lat member 23, assures proper support for the manipulating member, regardless of the position the latter may be in.

While the signaling member is shown in Fig. 2 as adapted to swing in an are of a circle less than 180 degrees, it is of course understood that this is controlled entirely by the operator, and when signaling a t`ur11 to the right the signaling arm may be swung to the right into horizontal position, or when signaling that a turn is to be made to the left, said arm may be swung to the left into horizontal position, and feethis reason the outer end of the supporting arm or bracket is curved upwardly so that when swung to the right the signaling arm will still be in View from the rear and not be entirely hidy i den by the supporting arm or bracket; it is not, however, found necessary in practice to swing said arm to horizontal position since an position to the left or right of the ve iele will clearly indicate the direction to be followed.

It is to be noted that by swinging the signaling member into a vertical plane, it is at all times in view from the front and from the rear, whether swung to indicate a turn to the right or left, or whether swung into a vertical position to indicate a straight course ahead. This is a decided advantage over signaling devices in which the signaling member is swung horizontally, since in such` cases the signaling member is invariably hidden in one of its positions either from the front or the rear.

My invention is susceptible. to changes in construction and minor details of arrange ment without departing from the spirit of the same or sacrificing any advantages thereof;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,-

1. A device of the kind described, compris ing a support, a signaling arm journaled to swing in said support, a carrier member connected to said support and having two fiat spaced members, a manipulating rod extending into the space between said two flat members, a flexible connector connected to said rod and having connection 'axially with said signaling arm, said flexible connector being bent to position said manipulating rod at an angle to -the axis of said signaling arm, eind means for adjusting the position `of 'said manipulating rod te change the angle there*` of and for retaining said rod in adjustedposition.

ing a support, a swinging-element mounted in said support and serving as a signaling member,` a carrier member` supported from said support and comprising two flat menibers spaced apart and directed rearwardly and inwardly, said flat members being connected at their outer and rear edges by an edge wall, a manipulating rod positioned between said fiat members and receiving sup` port from the lower Hat member, and a wire cable connecting the outer end of said manipulating rod wi1 li the signaling member at its axis.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising a support, a swinging element mounted 1n sald support and serving as a signaling 2. A device of the kind described, eo1npris` member, a carrier member supported from said support and comprising two fiat mem-- bers spaced apart and directed rearwardly and inwardly2 said Het membersbeing con nected at their outer and rear edges by.. an edge wall, a manipulating rod positioned between said fiat members and receivlng sup- L. port from the lower dat member, a wire cable connecting the outer end of said manipulan. `ing rod with the signaling membenfnt its' axis, and a set screw passing through said Aed e wall and bearin'g'against said manipulatmgv rod for the purpose of adiusting and tainingA said rod in the desired angular `position with reference to'the axis of Said -signalin member. t 4. A evice ofthe .kind .described, comprsin a supportfiasignaling arm. mounted In sai suplort ejwlliglng movement, a arrier mem er iiijeaijvof Saldsupport having a fiat horizontally-disposed supporting member, a nipple-connecting said carrier member with said support, a fmanipulatingY Arod receiving support from said fiat supportF ing ,memberd` and a 4wire cable connected to said manipulatin rod andpassing through saidcnpple, lsai cable being axially connected to sai signaling arm and journaled i ,in said nipple and being also curved between' said nipple and said manipulatin rod to po-. sition the latter at an Vangle to the axis of said signali arin. 1 i E ,t f" 5.V A device ,of the kind described, comprisl, ing a support adapted for detachable conmention to aixed art of an automobile and extending outwar y ly therefrom, ay signaling Valx having a hollow boss or lstub shaft jourjjnaledv in said; support for swinging movement, a carrier member connected to said frsupport and extending rearwardly and inwardly from its point of connection thereto, l and a manipulatlng member having a flexible portio'n axially connected to said signaling arm andadapted topermit of positiony ing .the remaini portion thereof at an angle to the axis o said signaling arm.

6. In a device of the kind described, an

elongated supporting arm adapted for deend, a signaling arm having a hollow stud or stub shaft journaled in thesmoth portion .of said bore, a nipple having its front end threaded into the threaded portion of said bere and having its rear end externally y threaded, a carrier member having two flatspaced members, an internally threaded between said iiat members at their outer front corners and an edge wall connecting said flat members and extending rearwardly and inwardly from said boss,sa1d boss bei v threadedly connected to the rear end 'of sai nipplle., a wire cable having one end secured in t e hollow stud or stubgshaft of said si naling arm and extending rearward y through said nipple into the space between the flat membersof said carrier member, a

manipulating rod having its outer end posi- X tioned between said flat members and con" neeted to the other end of `said wire cable, and a set acrewy threaded through the edge wallof said carrier member Jand adapted to bear against said manipulating rod to position and retainthe same at the desiredangle to theaxis of said signaling arm.

7 A' device of. the ind described, comprising a supporting member, a l ignaling arm adapted' to swin and lhavin al horizontal axis, and manipu ating meansektendinginwardly at an angle to said vaxi and adapted for rotary movement, said anipulating means and si a ing arm heini both supported by sai supporting mem er.

8. The combination with avvehicle, of a support extending outward laterally thefbfrom, a signaling member adapted to swig in a vertical plane and hav' lts axis in the direction of the length of sald ",vehicle, and an operatingeelement for swin g said si naling mem r extending inwar ily oblique y to the plane of said axis.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature g FREDERICK oi; PFEIL. 

